Similarly, all the conservatives now crying about why there isn't an Ebola vaccine and how Obama's response isn't strong enough— um, maybe cutting research funding was a really bad idea? Wait, who did that? OH, RIGHT, IT WAS THE GOP.

Seriously. As a person who took o-chem, neuroscience, a seminar on the Romantics, and fiction writing in the same semester, they're ALL hard in different ways. There were definitely many times that I worked harder and pushed my brain more in lit and art courses than in science ones. I hate hearing humanities majors…

We should all be much more scared of MRSA and drug-resistant TB than Ebola, but nobody seems that concerned. I'm glad that they have identified and talked to everyone who was on flights with her, because we certainly don't need Ebola spreading any farther, but since she wasn't vomiting on them or anything, they're all…

Yeeeeep. I did some boxing, which may not have been the greatest for the ankle, but oh my god I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and then was like "nope no cannot continue soooo bored."

Yessssss me too! I used to be able to do those...I'd like to work on that stuff again, but I feel like it'd be pretty risky to do some of it on my own. My mom pointed out when I mentioned this that all the kids who did gymnastics when they were little are now growing up, so maybe something like this will become…

Seriously. If endorphins were not a thing, I would not exercise. I also exercise so much less during the winter when running outside is so much less fun...I should look into dance or something. I wish there were more gymnastics for grown-ups available.

Yeeeeeep. I sprained my ankle and haven't been able to run outside and the elliptical is THE WORST.

THIS. So annoying. Reading is "doing something". It's nice. I like it. Please let me continue doing it in peace, men on the train.

I've written one thesis on Doctor Faustus and one thesis on serial killers. I've found that enormous old books with "demons" and "necromancy" in the titles and criminology texts about serial murder tend to keep people a very safe distance. It's great. I love them. And if anyone did ask what I was reading, I would…

I don't know what it is exactly, but there's something in the tone that just distinguishes it from when a character is having those thoughts and the author doesn't agree. I'm a writer, and I hate when people can't tell the difference between a character and her author, but sometimes...you can just tell. And it's…

You can always tell when it's fucked up because it's part of the story and it means something more, and when the writer's just published his creepy rape fantasy. And the latter is so squicky and gross and eugh.

Did you go to Oxford or Cambridge? Because I've witnessed a lot of undergrads doing questionable things in black tie after a certain hour.

Definitely understandable. Glad we could clear it up for you!

No, this is really true. Few people are lucky enough to get to really choose where they live as opposed to being pinned down by money and job opportunities and family ties. And nowhere is going to be perfect. Most people in the world for much of history have stayed where they have ties and work, and there's nothing…

I think it's in the linked article— but it's a pretty salient fact! They should probably have made that clearer.

Right, but I also think there are significant differences between racism in a small, all-white town and in a diverse city. In the Tribune article, Jennifer says she worries about sending Payton to an all-white school, and if they were to move somewhere bigger, there would be more options for her (especially if they…

No, not fully aware! Of course she's white, so her experience will always be completely different. However, I'm white too, and I grew up in a pretty racist area, and I knew it was racist because people said overtly racist things, expecting that everyone agreed with them. People are suspicious of the fact that she…

It seems she was pregnant with Payton, she and her partner found out that the donor they requested, 380 (and thought they had used) was going to move and wouldn't be donating to the bank anymore, so they asked for more vials of his sperm to store so that they could later have another kid with the same sperm, and at…

I'm really hoping for the kid's sake that this is the case, rather than that she knew she lived in a racist town and didn't care.

That is honestly what I thought they were for several seconds. I was wondering if they were trying to bribe women with peanuts to come talk to them.